Half to thomas s



(No Model.)

G. S. TIFFANY.

GAS OB VAPOR ENGINBQ' No. 573,628. v Patented Dec. 22, 1896.

with eqsaeas: Z? W); 72602" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. TIFFANY, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO THOMAS S. VVHEELRIGHT, OE SAME PLACE.

(me on VAPOR ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 573,628, dated December 22, 1896. Application filed October 2, 1895. Serial No. 564,386. (No model.)

To all whom it 17mg concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. TIFFANY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Highland Park, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Gas or Vapor Engines, (Case No. 1,) of which the following isa full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a gas or vapor engine, its object being to provide improved means for operating the exhaust-valve, and, furthermore, to provide an improved form of governing mechanism.

In gas-engines as usually constructed the exhaust-valve has been positively operated to open the exhaust-port during each second cycle, the valve being connected by intermediate mechanism with some moving part of the engine, it being the common practice to connect the valve through the agency of gear-wheels with the main shaft. Such constructions are objectionable, and it is desirable to provide means for operating the exhaust-valve without such cumbersome intermediate mechanism, which has considerable first cost and which causes considerable expense in keeping up repairs. In accordance with the present invention the exhaust-valve is operated by means of the pressure within the cylinder of the engine, an auxiliary cylinder being provided which communicates with the main cylinder of the engine and in which cylinder a small piston is adapted to move, the piston being connected with the exhaustvalve, whereby, when the piston is at one end of its travel, the exhaust-valve is moved into position to open the exhaust-port, While,when

the piston is in its alternative position, the exhaust-valve is adapted to close the exhaustport. The port affording communication between the auxiliary cylinder and the main cylinder of the engine opens into the main cylinder at such a position that it is sealed from the engine-cylinder until the piston reaches the forward end of its travel, at which time the port is unsealed, and as the air and gas or vapor within the cylinder are somewhat attenuated, being below atmospheric pressure, the auxiliary piston is moved by means of the external-air pressure to close the exhaust-port. With the exhaust-port closed the engine-piston upon its return stroke compresses the explosive material, the spark-igniter ignites the explosive material, and the piston moves forward on its working stroke. During this time the exhaust-valve is closed, but when the piston reaches the forward end of its stroke the port leading to the auxiliary cylinder is opened, and the pressure within the engine-cylinder being above atmospheric pressure the auxiliary piston is moved into position to open the exhaust-port, whereby upon the return of the piston the dead gases are expelled from the cylinder.

Upon a moving part of the engine, preferably the fly-Wheel, is provided a contact adapted to engage a stationary contact mounted upon the frame of the engine to close circuit through the electrical igniter during the time it is desired to produce a spark and explode the gas or vapor within the engine-cylinder. The contact-terminal mounted upon the fiy-wheel is controlled by a governor-ball, and when the speed rises above the predetermined amount the contact-terminal upon the flywheel fails to make contact With the stationary terminal, and in consequence an explosion does not take place. So long as the speed remains above the normal the governor-ball maintains the contact-terminals separated, and no Work being done by the engine the speed decreases until normal speed is attained. The exhaust-valve remains closed when the material fails to explode, and in consequence, instead of being forced from the engine-cylinder, the charge of gas is utilized upon the succeeding working stroke. The stationary contact-terminal is preferably adj ustable,whereby the speed of the engine may be varied at will while running.

An engine embodying the several features of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The main shaft a is mounted in bearings a a and upon the shaft is mounted a fiy-wheel 1). Within the engine-cylinder c the piston c is adapted to travel, the piston being connected by connecting-rod c with the crank carried upon the main shaft. The connecting-rod is shown as provided upon the end with a ball adapted to be clamped between a socket provided in the end of the piston and a ring 0, adapted to be screwed into the end of the piston and against the ball. A pipe (6 communicates with the end of the engine'cylinder and is connected with the pipe (Z, through which the gas or vapor is adapted to be passed, and also with a pipe (Z through which air is admitted to the cylinder. Checkvalves (7. (Z are provided in the pipes d and (F, respectively, to prevent backward flow. The exhaust port 0 opens into the cylinder near the rear end and communicates With exhaust-pipe c, in which is provided a checkvalve c At the forward end of the enginecylinder a portj" communicates with an auxiliary cylinder, within which a small piston f is adapted to move, one face of the pistonf being in communication with the external air, while the other is subjected to the pressure within the engine-cylinder when the portfis unsealed. A piston-valve f is connected with the piston j, and when in the position illustrated acts to seal the exhaust-port. \Vhen the piston f is moved to the right, the annular channel f of the valve is brought into a position to register with the port, and the exhaust-port is thus opened to the passage ot' the dead gases within the cylinder. Upon the taco of the piston c' is carried a contactterminal g, adapted when the piston reaches the end of its travel to engage the terminal g, yieldingly pressed outward by means of a coiled spring f, the terminal g being insulated from the metal portions of the engine. The terminal 9 is electrically connected with the battery f and spark-coil g, circuit then extending to the l )inding- )ost 71., mounted upon but insulated from the frame of the machine. A metallic screw 7t is mounted in the bindingpost and carries upon its end a contact-terminal its, a knurled head 7i being preterably provided upon the screw, whereby the terminal 72? may be adjusted in position. Upon the tly-wheel an arm 7.' is pivoted at 7.: and carries upon its end a governor-ball 75". Mounted upon the arm is is a contact arm or terminal 76, adapted upon each revolution of the fly-wheel to engage the terminal 75'' and complete the electrical circuit of the battery g through the spark-coil 9, terminals 7L2 its to the frame of the machine, and thence through terminals 9 and 7' back to the bat tery. A spring la is provided for opposing the outward movement of the governor-ball 75*.

When the piston is at the forward end of its travel, as illustrated in the drawing, and the cylinder is tilled with air and the explosive gas or vapor, the pressure within the eyl inder is somewhat less than atmospheric pressure, and in consequence the auxiliary piston f occupies the position illustrated to seal the exhaust-port. As the piston c advances the gas or vapor is compressed within the cylinder, and when it reaches the end. of its travel the terminals 9 and g are brought into engagement. As the piston start-s upon its return stroke the terminals 9 g" are separated.

' and a spark is produced which ignites the ex plosive material, thus drivin the piston forward on its working stroke. The communication between the portj and the engine-cylinder is sealed by the piston c until the pis ton reaches a position near the end of its stroke,when the portf is u nsealed. The pres sure within the cylinder being (mi'isiderably above atmospheric pressure, the auxiliary piston f is moved to the right, thus moving the exhaust-valve into position to open the exhaust-port, so that upon. the return of the piston c the dead. gases are expelled from the cylinder. During the succeeding .t'orward stroke of the piston the auxiliary piston re mains in this position to maintain the exhaust-port open, and air and gas are drawn into the cylinder through the pipes d d". \Vhen the piston'c reaches the forward end. of its travel, the port f opened, and. the pressure within the cylinder being less than atmospheric pressure the pistoir f is moved to the left to close the exhaustport, so that upon the subsequent return stroke of the pisten 0 the cxhaust-port is closed and the explosi ve material is compressed.

It nrovision is not made for preventing it, the gase may leak past the piston c and move the auxiliary piston to the right to open -the exhaustq iort at a time when it should remain closed and to prevent this in case of a leaky piston a i channel 0 is provided in the periphery of the piston adapted to permit the escape of such gases as may pass the piston, the port] being maintained in communication with. the external airand the movement of the piston due to such escaping gases prevented.

The contact arm or terminal. 7:.engages the terminal 70' upon each stroke during the time when the igniter-contacts g are being separated to thus produce the spark that ignites the explosive material. Should. however, the speed rise above the normal, the governtm ball 762 will fly outward, thus moving the terminal it into a position wherein it will not engage the terminal 7:. as the ily-whecl rotates. In consequence, the battery-oireuito remaining open, an explosion will not take place,and as the exhaust-valve remains closed the forward movement of the piston will rarely the gases within the cylinder and upon the return stroke will compress the g: ses, and it the speed has decreased sulticiently an explosion will take place. If the speed has not decreased to the normal, the terminal 71. will still fail to engage the terminal 71, and the engine will make anoth er non-working stroke. It will thus appear that the non-working strokes are made without any loss of fuel. The electrical governor, as will be observed, acts to maintain the speed of the engine practically constant.

Should it be desired during the operation. of the engine to change the speed, this may be done by screwing in or out the screw h. The speed of the engine may thus be readily changed while running.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a gas or vapor engine the combination with the engine-cylinder, of the piston moving therein, an exhaust-valve controlling the exhaust -port, a reciprocating element arranged to open and close the exhaust-port, one face of said element being continuously subjected to the pressure of the external air, means for placing the opposite face of said reciprocating element in communication with the engine-cylinder While the pressure producing the working stroke exists therein to move said reciprocating element against the pressure of the atmosphere to open the exhaust-valve, and means for placing the said face of the reciprocating element in communication with the engine-cylinder while the decreased pressure due to the suction stroke exists therein to move the reciprocating element by means of the external-air pressure to close the exhaust-valve, substantially as described.

2. In a gas or vapor engine,the combination with the engine-cylinder, of the piston moving therein, an exhaust-valve controlling the exhaustport, an auxiliary cylinder, an auxiliary piston moving therein and arranged to open and close the exhaust-port, one face of said piston being continuously subjected to the pressure of the external air, means for placing the opposite face of said auxiliary piston in communication with the enginecylinder while the pressure producing the working stroke exists therein to move the auxiliary piston against the pressure of the atmosphere to open the exhaust valve, and means for placing the said face of the auxiliary piston in communication with the engine-cylinder while the decreased pressure due to the suction stroke exists therein to move the auxiliary piston by means of the external-air pressure to close the exhaustvalve, substantially as described.

3. In a gas or vapor engine, the combination with the engine-cylinder, of the engine-piston moving therein, the exhaust-valve, the auxiliary piston having one face exposed to atmospheric pressure and the other in communication with a port opening into the engine-cylinder at the forward or outward end thereof the engine-piston being arranged to place said port in communication with the engine-cylinder at the forward or outward end of its stroke to thus subject the auxiliary piston to the increased pressure within the enginecylinder during the working stroke to open the exhaust-valve and to subject the auxiliary piston to the decreased pressure within the engine-cylinder during the suction stroke to close the exhaust-valve, said engine-piston being provided with a channel for placing the port in communication with the atmosphere except when the engine-piston is at the forward or outward end of its travel, substantially as described.

4. In a gas or vapor engine, the combination with an electrical igniter, of a pair of contacts in circuit therewith, said contacts being momentarily brought into engagement during each working stroke of the engine during the time of action of the igniter, and a governor for maintaining the contacts out of engagement to maintain the igniter-circuit open when the speed rises above a predetermined value; substantially as described.

5. In a gas or vapor engine, the combination with an electrical igniter, of a stationary c011- tact, a contact carried upon the fly-wheel adapted to engage the stationary contact as the flywheel rotates, and a governor for maintaining the contacts out of engagement when the speed rises above a predetermined value; substantially as described.

6. In a gas or vapor engine, the combination with an electrical igniter, of a governor, a pair of contact-terminals for closing circuit through the igniter controlled by said governor, and means for adjusting the contactterminals to vary the speed of the engine while running; substantially as described.

7. In a gas or vapor engine,the combination with an electrical-igniter, of a pivoted lever carried upon the fiy-wheel and adapted to be moved outward by centrifugal force, an arm carried upon said lever and forming one terminal of the electrical circuit through the igniter, a stationary contact-ter1ninal adapted to be engaged once during each revolution by said arm, and means for moving said stationary contact-terminal forward and backward to vary the speed of the engine; substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of September, A. D. 1895.

GEORGE S TIFFANY.

\Vitnesses:

W. CLYDE Jonns, DE Wrrr O. TANNER. 

